In the past few years since graduating from CAST STEM in 2024, Esther Alele has been expanding her horizon as both a student and a young professional. Esther currently attends the University of the Incarnate Word, where she studies accounting. Recently, Esther tackled a huge milestone by earning her life insurance license and currently works under a Certified Financial Planner to support clients with their financial needs. This has allowed Esther hands-on experience working in a field that she is passionate about. Additionally, Esther has been working to grow a community on social media while simultaneously expanding her business, Kome’s Cookies.
Esther shared that stepping into the role of being a business owner and entrepreneur has been one of her biggest accomplishments thus far. Furthermore, Esther has been dedicated to growing her presence on social media is something that she is proud of. Both being a business owner, and growing her social media presence have helped Esther to become a more confident, disciplined, and consistent individual. Recently, Esther tabled at the CAST Black Student Union Career Day, where she shared her experience and knowledge with current CAST Students. In addition to her busy schedule as a student and business owner, Esther has also served as part of the CAST Alumni Advisory Steering Committee for the past year in which she collaborates with fellow alumni to continue to develop the CAST Alumni Network Advisory Council.
According to Esther, being a CAST Alumna has been foundational to her success. She shared that being a CAST student prepared her to confidently present ideas, communicate effectively, and think critically. These skills have benefitted her not only as a student, but also professionally in working with clients, or creating content online. Esther emphasized that experiences like Project Based Learning during her time as a CAST STEM student, helped her develop transferable skills that have set her apart. Esther shared that she hopes that current CAST students take all that PBL has to offer, noting that “one day, you’ll realize you’re not nervous when asked to present or lead because you’ve already done it so many times. Trust the process and put in the effort now it will pay off in ways you don’t even expect.”